


Worth It

by DobbyRocksSocks



Series: IronShield [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Cause I can't cope with the pain of Canon, Disregards anything after Civil War, Is a Fix it, M/M, Post Civil War, So they can make this right, Tony is scared, but they love each other - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-21 04:52:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17636300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DobbyRocksSocks/pseuds/DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: Told in Snippets, this is how Steve and Tony came back from the brink after the mess of the Civil War.





	Worth It

“I’m sorry,” Steve whispered. There were tears in his eyes and Tony could see, could believe, that Steve genuinely felt remorse. 

He’d thought that would help. 

It didn’t. 

“Saying you’re sorry doesn’t fix anything,” he replied quietly. “I can’t do this.” 

He stood and left the room. 

He didn’t look back. 

… 

“I’m not an Avenger anymore, Rogers,” Tony snapped, shaking his head. “I don’t need to live at the Compound.” 

“I disagree,” Steve replied firmly. “No matter what happened, you’ll always be an Avenger. The Compound is as much your home as it is everyone else’s.” 

Tony rubbed at his temple. “I brought you all home. I got you pardons and I fixed the accords. What more do you want from me?” 

“I want you to come home,” Steve implored. “I want you to give me a chance to make this better.” 

“I can’t.” 

“Can’t or won’t?” 

… 

“You came.” 

Tony looked up to see Steve standing beside him, battered and bruised but already healing from the fight. 

“You sent out the distress call. Did you expect me to ignore it?” 

“I never know what to expect from you, Tony. You always exceed my expectations.” 

“I might not be an Avenger—” 

“You are.” 

“—but that doesn’t mean I want any of you to be hurt. Especially not if I’m in a position to help.” 

… 

“Happy Birthday, Cap.” 

Steve grinned as Tony handed over a box. He hadn’t expected Tony to come to the birthday party, but he was glad to see the other man. 

He unwrapped the present, eyes widening when he saw what was in side. 

“Tony—” 

“Don’t mention it.” 

“Tony—” 

“Really. Don’t mention it, please.” 

“I… thank you, Tony.” 

“Uh huh.” 

The photo of Steve with his mum took pride of place in his bedroom from that night on, the silver frame gleaming in the light. 

… 

“I still love you.” 

“Don’t do this, Steve.” 

“I had to tell you. Had to take the chance that you felt the same, that you still—” he choked off, unable to finish the sentence. 

Tony wiped a hand over his face and seemed to slump back against the wall. “We’ve been getting on alright, haven’t we?” 

Steve nodded. It was true, they had. They could be in the same place for hours at a time without arguing, which had seemed impossible when the Avengers had first returned to the US. 

“I miss  _ us,  _ Tony.” 

“Me too.” 

… 

“He’ll be okay,” Rhodey said quietly. “He’s strong.” 

Steve sat motionless beside the hospital bed, the beepbeepbeep of the machine echoing in his mind. 

“What if he’s not?” he whispered, the words slipping past his lips without his permission. 

“He will be. He has to be.” 

… 

“Oh, Jesus, you’ve got the Cap-on-a-mission face on. What’s gone wrong?” Tony asked, looking up from where he was laying on the sofa, a tablet resting on his chest. He was still healing from his latest stint in the hospital, so he really hoped that whatever was wrong could be fixed without movement. 

“Do you still love me, Tony?” 

Tony frowned. “What?” 

“Do you still love me?” 

“What’s that got to do with anything?” 

“I’m tired of letting things go, or waiting too long,” Steve said, kneeling down on the floor by the sofa. “And I love you. I love you, and I don’t want to lose you, and I don’t want to wait too long to have you back in my arms if that’s where you want to be.” 

“Steve—” 

“If you don’t, it’s fine. We can forget I ever asked and—” 

“Of course I still love you,” Tony interrupted. “I never stopped, not even when I tried to force myself to hate you instead. I just… Steve, we’re not good for each other. Look what happens when we fight! We don’t just fight like normal people, innocents get hurt!” 

“That was a one of a kind situation with a lot of mitigating factors that will never be repeated,” Steve argued. He chanced reaching out to take Tony’s hand, feeling a spark of hope when Tony allowed him to link their fingers together. 

“And what happens when the next mitigating factors arrive?” Tony asked quietly. “What happens when we disagree on something else? What happens when I get left alone again to deal with the mess that we’ve created?” 

Steve shook his head vehemently. “No,” he said. “It won’t… I won’t let that happen again. I love you. I love you and I need you, and I won’t let it get that far. I promise, Tony. I can’t promise you that we’ll never argue, or even that we won’t ever break up, but I promise you that what happened won’t ever be repeated.” 

A single tear tracked down Tony’s cheek. “I’m scared, Steve.” 

Steve pressed a gently kiss to the back of Tony’s hand. “Me too. That’s how I know it’s worth it.” 

…

“You look happy,” Bucky said quietly, watching Steve with a small smile on his face. 

Steve glanced down at the genius sleeping on his chest. “I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.” 


End file.
